Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D44/00—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms
  • A45D44/005—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms for selecting or displaying personal cosmetic colours or hairstyle
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
  • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
  • A45D44/00—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms
  • A45D2044/007—Devices for determining the condition of hair or skin or for selecting the appropriate cosmetic or hair treatment

Definitions

• the optical characteristic may be selected from luminance and color or a color component, e.g. L, a., or b in the Lab CIE 1976 colorimetric system.
• the intermediate optical characteristic may be identical to the measured characteristic.
• the deposit that is formed may have the same color.
• the method may include the step consisting in automatically applying a self-tanning agent and/or one or more cosmetic inks so as to blur the line of demarcation between a naturally-tanned zone and a zone that has been protected from the sun, e.g. by wearing a garment.
• the method may be implemented to mask the tan lines left by a bikini top or sunglasses, for example.
• the method may be implemented on bare skin or on skin that has already been made up.
• the deposit that is formed may be of a color that is solid or otherwise. When the deposit does not present a solid color, it should be understood that the deposit includes at least one zone having said intermediate color. The deposit may shade off between two locations where the measured colors are different.
• At least two, and better three, measurements of the color of the keratinous material may be performed at different locations, and a deposit may be formed of a cosmetic of a color that is intermediate between the measured colors.
• the deposit may be situated between locations where the measurements were taken.
• This deposit may cover a skin blemish, for example a spot, a scar, or a wrinkle, or a tan line, as mentioned above.
• the deposit may be performed at equal distances from the locations where the measurements were taken.
• the measurements of color or of some other optical characteristic may be performed simultaneously or in a short lapse of time, for example with less than 5 minutes (min) between them.
• the deposit may be formed within a short lapse of time after measuring color or some other optical characteristic, for example within less than 1 hour (h) .
• the invention makes it possible to take account of the fact that the color of the skin of any one person varies locally. The invention thus enables skin blemishes to be camouflaged better by making it possible for the presence of the zone that has been made up or treated with a self-tanning agent or a whitening agent to be made less visible.
• Color measurement and application of the deposit may be performed by using a single handpiece, thereby making the method easier to implement.
• the color measurements may be performed using a single color- measurement appliance without any printer system, which appliance is moved successively to different locations, or by means of a plurality of color measurement probes that are placed at said locations.
• the color measurement probes may be separate from the printer system.
• the color measurement probes may be fastened to the skin by using a gel, an adhesive, or a suction cup, and they may be connected to the remainder of the device by cables or by a wireless system.
• the color measurements may be performed with the skin or the hair in contact with the apparatus used for making the measurement. Contact makes it possible to be independent of external lighting.
• Measurement resolution may be better than 1 centimeter (cm), in at least one direction. Color or other optical characteristics may be measured at respective locations that are spaced apart by distances lying in the range 0.5 cm to 5 cm or even more.
• the deposit made may be of a color, or a gloss, that varies close to the edges of the deposit so as to come close to the color, or the gloss, of the nearby skin.
• the deposit may have a color that varies between the locations where color was measured, the color of the deposit approaching the respective colors measured at each of said locations in the vicinities thereof. This enables the deposit to blend in better with the neighboring regions of skin or hair.
• the color of the deposit may result from using at least two inks of different colors, preferably at least three inks of different colors, that may be mixed and/or juxtaposed on printing.
• a printer system that can be any kind of deposition system for depositing a cosmetic that imparts said intermediate optical characteristic by acting optically on the keratinous material, e.g. by applying one or more cosmetic inks, or a system for applying a composition that causes the keratinous material to be subjected to a chemical reaction and to a change of appearance so as to take on the intermediate optical characteristic, e.g. a self-tanning agent or a whitening agent .
• the device may be used for making up: pigment spots; age spots; blackheads; acne; scars; stretchmarks; beauty spots; apparent veins; wrinkles; red spots; non-uniform tanning; vitiligo; erythrosis; rosacea; and non- uniformities of makeup (self-tanning agent) . This list is not exhaustive.
• the deposit that is formed may be of a color that is solid or otherwise.
• the acquisition system may include at least two color sensors, and preferably at least three sensors. This enables simultaneous measurements to be performed and/or measurements to be performed with the device having accurate knowledge about the distances between the sensors .
• the printer system may be an ink jet or minispray system, or it may be of some other kind.
• the printer system may include a source of vibration to create a fuzzy effect on application.
• the user may also move the printer system, e.g. by moving the handpiece a little.
• the printer device may include an interface enabling the user to act, prior to printing, to modify the color of the deposit and/or the distribution of color within the deposit.
• the acquisition system may include one or more photodetectors and lighting means of different colors. This may limit the use of expensive components.
• the acquisition system may have a single photodetector placed in a measurement zone and associated with at least three LEDs placed in such a manner as to illuminate the measurement zone, with the LEDs being placed for example around the observation direction of the photodetector, e.g. distributed at equal angles. It is also possible to use a LED that is capable of emitting as a plurality of different colors.
• the acquisition system may serve to perform at least two color measurements at different locations without moving the acquisition system relative to the skin.
• the acquisition system may also measure color at a first location and track movements over the keratinous material to a second measurement location, e.g. by including a movement sensor, e.g. a ball or a wheel making contact with the keratinous material, or an optical movement sensor .
• exemplary embodiments of the invention also provide a device for applying makeup, the device comprising a print head, e.g. an ink jet print head, and a source of vibration to cause the print head to vibrate during printing.
• the frequency vibration may lie for example in the range 5 hertz (Hz) to 40,000 Hz. This may enable a deposit to be made without any sharp outline, and thus for it to be less visible.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram showing various steps in an example method of the invention
• Figure 2 is a block diagram showing different entities in a device made in accordance with the invention.
• Figures 3 to 5 are diagrammatic and fragmentary perspective views showing various examples of devices of the invention.
• Figure 6 shows an example of a color-measurement sensor
• Figure 7 is an electrical schematic diagram of an example of a device made in accordance with the invention .
• the method of the invention may comprise a step 10 of capturing color at at least two locations on keratinous material. This capture is performed by means of an acquisition system 20 shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 and described in greater detail below.
• Step 11 may be followed by a step 12 of displaying the image or the color that results from the calculation. This display may take place on a screen of a user interface 40. After the image has been displayed, an optional step 13 of the user validating the displayed result may be necessary prior to performing print step 14. If validation is not given in step 13, then it is possible for the user to make a request in step 15 to modify the result of the calculation, and then step 15 may be followed by a new calculation.
• Printing may be performed between at least two locations where color has been measured. Where appropriate, a color measurement may also be performed at a printing location and possibly also beside it. A color measurement at the location where printing takes place may be useful, e.g. for the purpose of verifying that the color that results from deposition does indeed correspond to the expected color.
• the processor unit 30 may comprise a microcomputer, a minicomputer, or any other electronic system, e.g. a programmable logic array.
• the processor unit is provided with a memory or makes use of a memory. Any storage system is possible, for example a universal serial bus (USB) key, a memory internal to the computer, an electrically-programmable read-only memory (EPROM), memory cards, a hard disk, or indeed optical storage.
• USB universal serial bus
• EPROM electrically-programmable read-only memory
• memory cards e.g., a hard disk, or indeed optical storage.
• “reprint” button may be placed on the device, e.g. on the handpiece, in order to make this operation easier.
• the memory may be conserved after the device has been switched off. Provision may be made for the device to propose retaining in memory certain colors for printing, with this being done either by access via a menu or by having specific buttons to press. Each memory may be associated with a computer label, thereby enabling the user to associate a particular color with certain portions of the body, for example.
• the printer and/or acquisition systems may be adapted to the non-plane shape of the treated region.
• the print head(s) may optionally be provided to track the non-plane shape of the skin, and they may be provided with an option for moving, specifically in a direction that is perpendicular to the skin.
• the apparatus may include at least one print head configured to be moved under motor drive and electronic control in a direction that is perpendicular to the skin or other surface so as to track the outline of said skin or surface.
• a distance detector and/or a contact detector may be used to ensure that the distance between the printer system and the skin is kept constant.
• the device may also calibrate colors and printing so as to optimize accuracy. Calibration may be an automatic function. Under such circumstances, the apparatus prints certain marks on a defined medium, either regularly or on each occasion an ink cartridge is changed. The apparatus may use a color sensor for determining the color of such printing and then calculate calibration functions by comparing the expected result with the result that is obtained. Calibration may be refined manually, where appropriate .
• a warning system may provide a warning in the event of a component malfunctioning or an ink being used up.
• the device may include a system for purging a print head after use or for cleaning the color sensor (s), e.g. a pneumatic system.
• a system for purging a print head after use or for cleaning the color sensor (s) e.g. a pneumatic system.
• the device may be provided with a placing detection function.
• This function enables the handpiece to detect that it has been placed on the skin. It is possible to implement this function in various ways.
• the handpiece may be provided with contact detectors, e.g. based on thermal or electrical conductivity, on one or more photoreceivers, on a pushbutton, with there being four detectors, for example. When all of the detectors detect contact, then the device considers that the handpiece has been put into place.
• the device may also act as an acquisition system for determining whether it is in place on the skin. Thus, before lighting is switched on, if the color detectors detect no light, then the device considers that the handpiece is in place.
• the device may include a visual or sound indicator to inform the user, e.g. that capture or printing has been performed.
• printing may take place at different rates and also at different levels of intensity. For example, if it is desired to print a zone having an area of about 1 cm 2 , then the volume of ink will typically be about 10 microliters ( ⁇ L) . This volume may be sent to the print head at a maximum speed in order to finish off printing as quickly as possible. However it may be preferred to avoid the print head working at maximum speed, so as to enable the user to act during printing, e.g. to make a movement or to decide to remove the apparatus before printing has finished.
• ⁇ L microliters
• the acquisition system includes at least one sensor for measuring color, and that is designed to measure the color of the skin, but, where appropriate, it may also be suitable for application to other surfaces, e.g. to fabrics, the hair, or photographs.
• RGB red, green, blue
• HVC hue, value, chroma
• Lab Lab
• cyan magenta, yellow, black
• reflectance curves ... .
• the choice of standard may be pre-established in the device or left to the choice of the user.
• the spacing between the various sensors may be fixed or adjustable, e.g. lying in the range 1 millimeter (mm) to 10 cm.
• the device preferably includes at least two sensors, and better at least three.
• a linear or matrix sensor e.g. based on a charge-coupled device (CCD) , or a complementary metal oxide on silicon (CMOS) device, or an electron- multiplying CCD (EMCCD) .
• CCD charge-coupled device
• CMOS complementary metal oxide on silicon
• EMCCD electron- multiplying CCD
• the number of sensors (pixels) may reach tens or even hundreds of thousands, or even millions.
• the invention is better performed with contactless printing techniques, and in particular ink jet printing technologies and minispray techniques.
• printer means using needle printing technology can enable the ink to penetrate into the stratum corneum, the epidermis, or the dermis.
• the printer means may be spaced apart from the skin so as to avoid coming directly into contact with the skin.
• This spacing may be fixed or adjustable. It is possible to adjust the spacing either directly, e.g. by turning a knob or by acting on an adjustment button that controls the movement of a motor, or else automatically.
• the processor unit controls a motor to change the spacing.
• the spacing can be adjusted to a small value, e.g. one millimeter or less, and conversely, if it is desired to perform fuzzier printing it is possible to adjust the spacing to a greater distance, e.g. 1 cm or more.
• the printer means may include a print head capable of printing over the entire surface for treatment.
• the print head may include one or more ink ejection nozzles. Assuming that the user moves the device along an axis X, the print head may point perpendicularly to the travel direction X of the apparatus, for example.
• the handpiece may include a corresponding lighting for assisting the polymerization of the ink(s) concerned.
• light radiation e.g. to ultraviolet (UV) light
• Printing may be performed by depositing a plurality of inks of different colors in juxtaposed manner or in at least partial superposition.
• the dots of different inks that are deposited may optionally be of the same size.
• the surface of the skin may be covered completely by the ink(s) or gaps may be left between deposits of ink.
• Inks may be applied to the skin like a silk screen.
• the handpiece may send data to a mixing unit.
• the mixing unit may mix two or more components to obtain a mixture having the desired color.
• the user may use an independent mixing unit, that is configured to mix at least two components to produce a mixture having the desired color.
• the mixing unit may be used at, e.g., home, a point of sale, or at any suitable location.
• the handpiece may send data relating to the measured color to a decision unit.
• the decision unit may be located remotely and may be configured to identify, e.g., from a library of products, a product having the desired color.
• the ink may include one or more non-colored materials that provide optical effects, e.g. a fuzzy effect .
• one of the printed compositions may be a base coat or a top coat in order to improve retention of the inks, for example.
• the coloring agent (s) and the optically active colorless agent (s) may be in a dispersion, dissolved, or in an emulsion. They may also form a mixture that is not very stable, that needs to be remixed or redispersed at the time of use.
• the inks may be contained in a cartridge or a group of cartridges that is easy to remove and replace.
• One or more color ink cartridges may be used, e.g. corresponding to primary colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) or to colors that are close to skin color (pink, ochre, beige, ivory, brown, .7) .
• a single printer nozzle is used with a plurality of ink cartridges of predefined colors.
• All of the cartridges are connected to the printer nozzle, and the device modulates the rate at which each of the cartridges delivers ink to the printer nozzle as a function of the color to be printed, e.g. using electrostatic microfluidic technology.
• the processor unit 30 may comprise a microcomputer, a minicomputer, a microcontroller, or any other electronic system, e.g. a programmable logic array.
• the calculation performed on the basis of the measured values may be calculating an average value.
• the weights of each of the captured colors in the calculation of the average may be equivalent, or they may differ, for example it is possible to privilege color capture of one color more than another, e.g. because one of the captured colors appears to be more attractive or closer to that which is expected of the skin.
• the processor unit may also seek to give precedence to one of the captured colors. The user may place the sensors at a location where it is preferable to give precedence to one of the color sensors, e.g. close to margins such as the edges of the face.
• the average for the red component is (R1+R2+R3) /3.
• a., b, and £ may be functions or constants, for example functions that depend on lightness.
• the result is obtained in random manner and lies within a range determined by extreme values, thus making it possible to obtain results that are more natural.
• the printer unit may introduce a random contribution in its calculations.
• Another approach consists in generating color components in random manner. Nevertheless, it is preferred for the calculations to ensure that the final result lies within the ambit determined by the capture values. Processing may be made more complex in order to improve the result.
• the processor unit may be provided with data concerning tolerance zones.
• the processor unit may either warn the user about this situation without preventing printing, or else it may prevent printing.
• One or more conversion tables may be used for calibration purposes, since some color values may be modified in order to improve the accuracy of rendering.
• Calibration conversion tables form the link between theoretical colors and colors as measured.
• the conversion tables may also serve to create color transformation effects and they may be appropriate when the modification function is not simple and is not uniform depending on the colors under consideration.
• the conversion tables may not only be addressable, they may also be modifiable, loadable or downloadable, and based for example in the memory of the processor unit .
• Calculations may be performed amongst a plurality of averages so as to limit risks, e.g. the risk of one printout being clearly different from the preceding printout.
• Such smoothing may be based on calculations in which earlier averages are involved in addition to current color captures.
• the processor unit may average the calculation with the average of a plurality of earlier calculations, e.g. the eight most recent calculations.
• the weights given to the earlier averages compared with the current color captures may be varied.
• the apparatus may put printing on hold until the captured colors have stabilized. Color capture may be repeated so long as the values vary. It is only once the values have stabilized that printing is launched. If a sensor value does not stabilize, then the color value corresponding to the sensor may be ignored.
• Figure 7 shows an embodiment example in greater detail .
• the device has three color sensors
• the three color sensors are positioned in a triangle and spaced apart from one another by a distance of 4 cm, for example.
• Each color sensor contains three LEDs, a first delivering red light (KP 2012SRD from the supplier
• the device contains a total of nine LEDs.
• each color sensor includes a photodetector 105, e.g. of reference C30807 from the supplier Perkin Elmer.
• the device contains three photodetectors respectively referenced Pl, P2, and P3.
• Each color sensor may be positioned on the skin while being protected from ambient light.
• the three LEDs are positioned so that they illuminate by delivering light towards the center and the photodetector receives light from skin as illuminated in this way.
• the device causes the first LED R to be switched on, the light obtained by reflection from the skin to be captured, then the second LED R to be switched on, and so on until a third capture has been performed.
• the processor unit takes a first average of the three capture values.
• the device then performs the same operation for the three LEDs G and then for the three LEDs B. This sequence may be performed at a rate lying for example in the range 10 Hz to 1000 Hz, e.g. 100 Hz.
• the device contains at least one contact detector, e.g. that operates by measuring electrical resistance.
• the contact detector (s) is/are connected to the processor unit.
• an analog-to-digital converter 110 e.g. a 6-input AD7794 from the supplier Analog Device, which converter incorporates a 6-input analog multiplexer, with use being made in this example of three of those inputs, and of an output.
• the processor unit 30 includes a programmable logic array, e.g. a Cyclone III EPC 3 from the supplier Altera, clocked by an oscillator 111 at a frequency of 24 megahertz (MHz), for example.
• the processor unit is programmed to operate the diodes and the digital sensors at a rate of 100 Hz for example, as mentioned above.
• the program that controls the action of the processor unit 30 is contained in a memory 115 of the EPROM type, e.g. an EPCS16 from the supplier Altera, and data is transferred from this memory to the unit 30 when it is switched on.
• a memory 115 of the EPROM type e.g. an EPCS16 from the supplier Altera
• the device is provided with a button 160 for activating printing.
• This start/stop button is connected to the processor unit 30.
• the processor unit 30 performs the following functions :
• the print head is controlled, e.g. over a USB type wire connection 158, by a microcontroller 155, e.g. a CYZC68013 from the supplier Cypress, used in master mode.
• the microcontroller is clocked at 24 MHz for example using the same oscillator 111 as is used for the logic array 30.
• the controller 155 is connected to the processor unit, e.g. via a parallel connection.
• the handpiece may be positioned on the skin in a zone that it is desired to make more uniform. It is possible to position the device and launch its action. Thus, in a few seconds, all of the operations are performed and the skin is covered in an ink that makes its tone uniform at a local level.
• This mode of use is particularly suitable when the correction zones are small, e.g. small color blemishes occupying a few millimeters, small scars, and small visible veins.
• the processor unit may generate other image files, in particular compressed files using the Jpeg and other standards.
• the processor unit may be provided with a conversion table that it keeps in memory, e.g. in the memory of the processor unit 30.
• This conversion table may have two portions, namely an "input” portion with RGB values as read by the apparatus, and an "output” portion with converted RGB values.
• This conversion table which may be specific to each device, may be made by calibration when the apparatus is fabricated.
• the user may calibrate the device by acting as follows.
• a test is performed on a portion of the body, e.g. the front face of an arm. Three printed marks are made in this way.
• the apparatus is repositioned so that the color sensors are positioned over the three printed marks.
• the color sensors then measure the color as printed, with the processor unit taking the average and comparing this average with the averages obtained beforehand.
• the processor unit may then modify the conversion table.
• the processor unit may be programmed to take this distance into account. If a larger distance is selected between the skin and the print head, then the processor unit may lengthen the printing sequence and increase the number of RGB sequences in the bitmap file to compensate for the fact that the size of the printed mark is greater .
• a special function may serve to inactivate one or two sensors, since the user may desire to rely on only two sensors or on only one. This function may also be useful when the apparatus is used on a zone of the body that does not enable the three sensors to be made to engage the skin, e.g. a curved zone.
• the device may be provided with buttons or other adjustment means enabling at least one and possibly all three color components, e.g. red, green, or blue, to be addressed, or else enabling one or the other or a combination of these components to be increased or decreased prior to printing.
• buttons or other adjustment means enabling at least one and possibly all three color components, e.g. red, green, or blue, to be addressed, or else enabling one or the other or a combination of these components to be increased or decreased prior to printing.
• These buttons for increasing or decreasing color components may be connected to the processor unit that takes charge of making the corrections and that is capable of storing them in memory.
• the handpiece may be provided with a vibrator or a mechanical movement system that serves at the time of printing to cause the print head to move so as to spread out the printed zone without the user needing to move the handpiece over the skin. It is possible to use a vibrator of the kind that is used in cell phones.

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• Spectrometry And Color Measurement (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By Optical Means (AREA)

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• 2008
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• 2009
  • 2009-07-10 WO PCT/IB2009/053014 patent/WO2010004529A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-07-10 EP EP09786573.7A patent/EP2326201B1/en active Active
  • 2009-07-10 ES ES09786573.7T patent/ES2539035T3/es active Active
  • 2009-07-10 US US13/001,727 patent/US10117500B2/en active Active
  • 2009-07-10 JP JP2011517306A patent/JP5769621B2/ja active Active

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